I Just Want Something To Hold On To
by allyaustin
Summary: Takes place the day of Laura's prom. /Based on Human Touch by Bruce Springteen.


**Summary: Takes place the day of Laura's prom. Based on Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen.**

**A/N: Saddddddd. so sad. I hope you enjoy this without crying. This was cute, fluffy but also sorta angsty cause the ending is a tearjerker.**

* * *

She debates whether or not to call him back. It had been weeks and those weeks had turned into months.

He was on tour, her prom was tonight and was more than likely the last thing on his mind.

All his constant tweeting over the passing week, had caught her attention. Every tweet was so distinct yet they all had one similarity.

Longing.

She didn't know what to think.

A few weeks back, pressing her luck, she sent him a text saying "prom? go with me?" And she didn't even get a reply.

She had waited around for the next two weeks and still got nothing. It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

Did he even care that he was hurting her? Was he even missing her too? Was he even thinking of her?

She's not even sure what she's feeling anymore. She always gets this pang in her chest at the thought of him. It's unfamiliar. Foreign.

She just wants him back. The person she knew he was. She needs him back. More than she can even put into words.

What they had was so innocent. It wasn't supposed to mean a thing.

Then when he left, it was like they didn't even know each other. They were complete strangers.

It hurt her more than she imagined it would.

Reminding herself of how much he hurt her, she drops the phone and decides to not return his sudden calls to her.

No. She won't let him ruin this for her. This is her night. Problem free. Ross free.

She fixes her dress and sighs as she looks in the mirror ahead of her. Her date should be here any minute but _he's_ still stuck in her head.

That voicemail he left after he called her over fifteen times and she continued to ignore them all, was ruining her.

The pleading sound in his voice when he asked her to talk to him. The way his voice cracked. It made her feel guilty.

She wasn't even sure why.

She shakes her head. No. _No_. She's not going to do this. She won't let him invade her mind any longer.

Laura hears her parents calling her name and the honking of a horn outside so she puts on her game face.

She won't think about him. She just hopes this works.

About twenty minutes later, they've taken pictures and are at the venue where the prom is being held.

Laura forces a smile at her friends as they pass by, happily greeting her.

Her date grabs her hand and pulls her to the dance floor and all she keeps thinking is that she needs this night to pass by and fast.

* * *

Laura walks up the porch steps as she carries her heels in her hands. Dropping them onto the top step, her body following suit as she sits.

Her phone continues to beep in her purse but she ignores it. She already knows who it is.

Prom was okay. Well the part when she was there was. She had left early.

Her heart just wasn't in it.

When her phone rings again, she's not even sure why but she grabs it and stares at the caller id. Of course it's no one other than him.

Just as she's about to give in and answer it, she hears a voice. "I honestly didn't think I'd see you out here. Something told me to come."

Her head pops up and there he was. "Ross?" She asks in disbelief.

He smiles a little and takes a step closer. He tucks his phone in his pocket. "I believe so."

Laura stands up, grabbing her shoes. She walks to him as she arches an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to take this really beautiful and amazing girl to her senior prom, if she still will let me." He says, his face completely sincere.

Her anger towards him remains but suddenly fades away for a second. "Who's to say this girl still wants him to take her offer up on taking her?"

Ross shrugs, his smile dropping. "I know I probably fucked up my chance but I hope she can forgive me. I can't risk losing her. Not right now."

Laura let's out a breath she didn't know she was holding. His words hitting her like a ton of bricks. "I left. Maybe you should too." She crosses her arms.

Ross doesn't say a word. He just nods, walking closer to her and then they're completely in each other's breathing space. Their faces inches away.

"Ross," Laura warns him in a pleading tone, her heart racing.

He sticks his hand out slowly to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Can I have one last dance?"

His eyes question her own with such sadness that she has to look away.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ross." Laura continues to look down, her hand somehow finding it's way up to grasp onto his own on her cheek.

"Laura, please." He grabs her chin with his thumb, forcing her to look at him. "Please."

"One dance and then you leave." She whispers, taking his hand. "Okay?"

Ross bites his bottom lip gently. "_Okay_." His hold on her hand tightens.

Then his hands fall on her hips and he pulls her closer until her body is securely against his. She let's her head fall onto his shoulder, her hands enclosing around his neck.

"There's no music." She says, breaking the silence which causes Ross to chuckle softly, his mouth tilting up.

"Wait," He pulls out his phone. He presses a song and then sets the phone on the ground without removing her from his arms.

Laura smiles for the first time when she hears what he put on. "Human touch?"

Ross laughs, burying his face in her hair. "It's a classic."

Laura nods because she can only agree. "If you think about it, the lyrics kinda describe us."

"You and **me** we were the _pretenders_, we let it all slip away." Ross sings softly into her ear, causing shivers to run down her back.

_In the end what you don't surrender  
Well the world just strips away_

"Girl ain't no kindness in the face of strangers." Laura says the next line.

Ross smiles and looks down at the brunette. "Hm, I guess it is like us."

"I've felt like a complete stranger to you over the last few months." Laura confesses. "I miss you so much."

"Dude," Ross breathes out. "I've missed you more."

Laura laughs dryly. "Then why did you ignore me?"

"It wasn't like that, Laura." Ross begins. "I wanted to but I just couldn't bring myself to call you."

"Why?" Her voice cracks. "I was here for you always. I don't like who you've become."

"It was too hard. I dealt with my feelings the best way I knew how, I ignored them." He tells her.

Laura sighs. "I understand but you can't run from your problems forever."

"I get that now. You were definitely the one biggest problem I should've stayed for. I should've called you."

_I just want someone to talk to  
And a little of that human touch  
Just a little of that human touch_

"You're here now." She reminds him.

"Yeah but I have to go back..tonight." Ross sighs, fluttering his eyes closed.

Laura nods, understanding. She leans her forehead against his. "I don't want you to."

Her words break his heart a little. "I don't wanna go." He breaths in her scent.

She closes her eyes too. "Why does everything with us have to be so complicated?"

Ross chuckles leaning in until their lips touch. "I really don't know, baby."

After letting their lips longer for a few more moments, they pull away.

"I heard about George." Ross changes the subject.

"What about him?" She lifts her head and looks him in the eyes and his find hers.

"He's getting married." He says which causes Laura's eyes to brighten with amusement.

"It hurt at first but he looks happy. That's all that matters." She insists.

Ross gasps. "Is someone over their crush?"

"Nope. She can have him for now but I'll marry him eventually."

Ross chuckles. "Laur, he'll be like eighty."

Laura snorts. "Hey! I'll still love him unconditionally."

"Where does that leave me?" Ross pouts, pulling her closer.

Laura smiles. "You're...my _right_ now."

"Your right now? I like it." He smiles back.

"For tonight and then when you leave, I think we should just go on with our lives. See where life takes us. I'm graduating in less than two days."

Ross strokes her cheek. "And I'm gonna be on tour for god knows how long. We won't work."

Laura shakes her head. "No, don't say that. We wouldn't work right now. Look at us before. Those few months apart killed us."

"So you think we should wait to try something?" He questions.

"Yes and when we're both not too busy, we could try."

"I think I can live with that." Ross tells her.

"No calls. Texts. Emails. Nothing." She continues. "It's gonna hurt really bad." Unshed tears glimmer in her eyes and he pulls her head to nuzzle in his chest.

"Don't cry, princess, okay? Just think of it as a new way of saying "I'll see you soon." He whispers into her ear.

"I'll always only be yours. There's no one else." She says.

"I know there isn't. That's why I'm not worrying. I'm gonna stop hurting you, I promise. When we see each other again, it'll be different. I'm yours whether you like it or not." Ross smiles.

"I like it more than you think." She laughs, sadness still in her eyes. "You're my favorite goodbye."

He places his finger over her lips. "Stop saying goodbye, dude. It's gonna make this so much more harder than it needs to be."

"I'm sorry. It still hurts. A lot."

"I know." He hugs her just as the song's about to end.

"I love you, Ross." Laura whispers.

"I love you too, Laura." He confides in her although to everyone else, it really wasn't much of a secret.

_I just want to feel you in my arms  
And share a little of that human touch..._

**Fin**.

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**Reviews are cool.**


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